Netherlands V Japan
Tuesday, 25 June 2019 – 20:00 Kick-Off
International: FIFA Women’s World Cup
Pick: Netherlands to WIN – 5/6 Betfair
Preview: In a repeat of their clash from four years ago, Netherlands and Japan will once again be competing against one another in the last-sixteen of a World Cup. It was the Japanese who prevailed at the 2015 edition in Canada. Since then, however, the Dutch have gone on to be crowned European champions for the first time and appear to be well on top as far as these two teams are concerned, winning three of the previous four meetings.
The Japanese would seemingly have it all to do then, although this is a country bidding to reach a third successive World Cup final (they were winners in 2011, runners-up in 2015) and they will be hoping their superior experience in the latter stages will count for a lot. The Roazhon Park in Rennes is the venue for this intriguing clash.
Recent Trends
- Netherlands have been victorious in three of the previous four meetings, winning the most recent contest 6-2 in February 2018.
- Four of their five meetings have produced a minimum of three goals as well as both teams scoring.
- The Dutch are on a six-game winning run, which is four more than Japan have managed to win in total in 2019 (W2 D4 L3).
Netherlands Women Preview
Four years ago, the Netherlands were in Canada preparing for their first ever knockout match at a World Cup. Their opponents that day were also the Japanese. It was heartbreak for the Dutch on that occasion, going down 2-1. However, they are in a prominent position to reverse that bitterly disappointing outcome here in France.
It was very much a young and emerging Netherlands team back then, still raw in terms of its potential. That potential, though, came to the fore at the very next tournament as they captured the 2017 European Championship on home soil. That triumph, coupled with their flawless showing at these finals – three wins out of three in Group E – are a clear sign of a more complete and mature team this time around.
They had a tricky group to negotiate at these finals as well, facing off against two teams inside the world’s top 20. So to sail through to the next round with a 100% record shouldn’t be downplayed. It will also have been pleasing for the coach, Sarina Wiegman, to witness her team earn its wins in a variety of ways.
Perseverance was needed to score late against New Zealand (1-0), while they had to dig deep to see off a strong Canada side (2-1). Even Cameroon caused them a few problems but the Dutch still found a way to run out comfortable 3-1 winners eventually. Those three wins at these finals also extended a winning run in all competitions to six games, so they are undoubtedly the form team heading into this fixture against an old foe.
The momentum is not limited to their current form, either: since the disappointment suffered at the last World Cup in 2015, the Netherlands have encountered Japan four times and came out on top in three of them, including a 6-2 hammering in the most recent meeting at the 2018 Algarve Cup.
Japan Women Preview
Despite a safe passage through to the next round, it has been anything but plain sailing for Japan at this tournament. Their shock goalless draw to Argentina, a team ranked 30 places below them, was arguably the upset of the tournament to date. Things improved a little against Scotland with a 2-1 win, but a 2-0 loss to England was a disappointing way to end what has been a surprisingly poor showing at these finals so far.
This is, remember, a country ranked 7 in the world. Therefore a return of four points and two goals, from what always felt like a reasonable group, falls well below what was expected of them pre-tournament. Some of their attacking play has been uncharacteristically sluggish, with the execution in the England match in particular especially poor. Standards have certainly slipped and it is down to the coach, Asako Takakura, to raise them, and sharply.
Japan are, nevertheless, into the knockout rounds of the World Cup once again and this is usually where they are at their most dangerous. Runners-up in 2015, beating the Dutch along the way, and champions in 2011; this is a nation with a vast amount of experience when it comes to the business end of the tournament. They have defined the term ‘tournament mode’ in recent times, certainly in the women’s game, and pride themselves on being ultra tough to overcome.
Their current form, though, would suggest Japan have it all to do here. Just two wins in 2019 (W2 D4 L3) is very worrying, as it means their disappointing showing at these finals is a sign that perhaps this isn’t a minor blip and more a longer term trend. They’ve also failed to beat their opponents in three of the last four meetings (D1 L3).
Betting Tips
Main Selection: Netherlands to WIN – 5/6 Betfair
Value Pick: Netherlands to WIN & BTTS – 10/3 Bet365
Betting Summary
If recent form between the two is anything to go by, this should be a very entertaining contest containing a fair amount of goals. 1-2, 3-1, 3-2, 0-1 and 6-2 were the scorelines for the previous five meetings, with the most recent being that bizarre 6-2 scoreline as the Netherlands hammered Japan at the 2018 Algarve Cup.
As far as who should win, Holland look too strong for me. Their performances in France have been a lot more assured, and it helps when you possess one of the more dangerous attacks in the whole competition. Japan, meanwhile, have laboured to this stage. The knockouts is their territory however, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise were they to suddenly make a fist of this.
Even so, the form of the Dutch has been imperious over a longer period now and the fact they are well on top in the recent head-to-head between the two nations – winning three of the previous four – is perhaps telling of the momentum shift since the last World Cup.
